INDIA: Montra Electric, the cutting-edge EV brand from the esteemed 124-year-old Murugappa Group, is thrilled to run the Montra Electric Super League (MSL), a pioneering event tailored for auto drivers. Co-powered by Chola Finance, this groundbreaking initiative brings the excitement of the IPL to the streets with 10 dynamic teams, each comprising 17 dedicated Super Auto Riders.

The MSL is a high-octane competition featuring 10 teams, each comprising 17 exceptional auto drivers, aptly named ‘Super Riders’. This unique league aims to revolutionize the perception of electric vehicles (EVs) within the three-wheeler community, debunking common concerns like range anxiety, the MSL encourages participants to push the boundaries of EV capabilities, driving impressive distances with the help of top-up charging throughout the day.

This unique tournament features 170 Super Riders from across India, including women auto drivers, forming 10 teams that compete to cover the most kilometers. The team that logs the highest mileage emerges victorious, proving that EVs can effortlessly surpass 300 kilometers in a single day.

Roy Kurian, Business Head, of Montra Electric Last Mile Mobility said, “Through the Montra Electric Super League, we aim to demonstrate the extraordinary capabilities of our Super Autos and showcase our firm commitment to improving the lives of our Super Riders.”

Aman Sharma, President & Business Head – Vehicle Finance, from Chola Finance said “We are delighted to partner with Montra Electric in bringing forth this first-ever Super League Tournament for auto drivers. We are also happy to announce Chola’s Super Dream Children Education program to the finalists of the tournament. Chola is also actively working on innovative financing solutions for customers, to make the ownership of a Montra Electric Super Auto easier for them, which is also in line with our continuous endeavor to enable our customers to Enter a Better Life.”

Piyush Pandey, Head of Marketing, at Montra Electric, added, “We are excited to see our Super Riders embrace this challenge and feel the pride in what they are achieving. They have some extraordinary stories which need to be told”.

The scoring system of the MSL is designed to motivate and reward. Each kilometer driven by the top 14 riders of each team translates to one run, with additional runs awarded for referrals leading to deliveries or live bookings, and quality customer testimonial videos. Teams advance through a series of matches, with winners determined by total points and runs accumulated, leading to quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the grand finale.

Chola Finance, another distinguished member of the Murugappa Group, has pledged to provide free education for life to the children of up to 68 Super Riders who make it to the final stages of the tournament. This remarkable initiative underscores the tournament’s commitment to uplifting the lives of these hardworking individuals.

The Montra Electric Super League commenced on July 5th and will culminate in a grand finale in the first week of September. The victorious Super Riders will be honored at a special event at the Montra Electric factory in Chennai, where they will witness the manufacturing process of their extraordinary vehicle, Montra Electric Super Auto.

By offering substantial prize money and the transformative education initiative, the MSL is not only a thrilling competition but also a powerful catalyst for change within the auto driver community. Montra Electric is proud to lead the charge in promoting sustainable mobility and empowering the backbone of India’s transportation network. Montra Electric leads the charge toward a sustainable and electrifying future for India’s auto drivers.

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PUNE: PVR INOX, the largest and the most premium cinema exhibitor in India has today announced the opening of its 7-screen multiplex in Pune’s first luxury lifestyle destination at KOPA Mall, Koregaon Park. The cinema showcases the country’s leading luxury cinema formats, Director’s Cut and the immersive ICE Theatres®, both marking their debut in the West Region.

The most notable aspect of this cinema is that it brings with it 5 Director’s Cut auditoriums within PVR INOX’s ‘The Luxury Collection’ portfolio, known countrywide for offering sophisticated and immersive movie-viewing experiences. The cinema also houses the ICE Theatres® and a Premiere auditorium where modern splendor and redefining comfort meet cutting-edge cinema technologies such as 4K Laser projection, Dolby Atmos sound, and Next Generation 3D. Adjacent to it, the Gatsby restaurant bar adds to an exceptional experience through its unparalleled premium dining entwined with a lavish cinematic experience. Surrounding the theater are world-class culinary options including The Popcorn Bar with its wide array of flavored popcorn, La Cuisine serving contemporary continental cuisines, and Simply Sushi for its authentic sushi.

The new cinema, accommodating 751 guests, serving a high-end catchment area in Pune will augment PVR INOX foothold in the state of Maharashtra with 277 screens in 55 cinemas.  The company consolidates its presence in West India to a total of 367 screens in 79 cinemas.

Commenting on the expansion plan, Ajay Bijli, Managing Director, PVR INOX Limited, said “We are excited to bring the first ICE Theatres® and first Director’s Cut experience to the Western Region with Pune. The city’s vibrant and dynamic culture, rich heritage, cosmopolitan charm, and rich understanding of cinematic artistry, make it the perfect backdrop for our newest venture at KOPA, the City’s esteemed lifestyle hub. Through the launch of our new out-of-home destination, we aspire to enrich Pune’s cultural panorama while offering audiences a unique blend of cinematic opulence and immersive entertainment.”

“At KOPA, we have created an unparalleled shopping and dining experience, curated with a unique collection of brands that provide an elevated lifestyle for Pune. We are grateful to our partners at PVR INOX, who have chosen KOPA as their home for the inaugural PVR Director’s Cut in the state. This marks another milestone in a deep relationship between our organizations as we collectively seek to provide incomparable experiences for our visitors,” said Ashwin Puri, Managing Director and CEO, of Lake Shore, on the collaboration.

Directors’ Cut is the pinnacle of luxury at PVR INOX and sets the bar for sophisticated and high-end hospitality and entertainment. From its ultra-plush auditoriums, world-class projection and surround sound, completely reclaimable armchairs with pillows and blankets, a personal attendant call system, an intriguing in-seat food and beverage menu, and luxurious lounges, every detail is carefully engineered to deliver the ultimate comfort for the patrons.

“In a city that truly understands the richness of cinema, it is only natural that Pune inspires us to build large super premium auditoria through our exclusive Director’s Cut and ICE Theatres® adding to the immersive nature and escapism of the super-premium experience. With Gatsby’s, we aspire to introduce a sophisticated gourmet dining and resto-bar concept for discerning patrons, offering a perfect complement to their cinematic experience” said Renaud Palliere, Chief of The Luxury Collection and Innovation, PVR INOX Limited.

The state-of-the-art ICE IMMERSIVE® technology from France is a sensorial experience that features LED panels on each side of the auditorium. These fill the moviegoer’s peripheral vision with supplementary ambient colors and shapes while complementing the action on the main screen. While the ultimate visual experience is enhanced through 4K Projection, the optimal audio playback comes alive with the 3D Dolby Atmos®, and the ergonomic comfort is aided by custom-made 60cm-wide seats aligned in curved rows offering ideal orientation towards the screen.

With a visually stunning and refined interior characterized by modern elegance, the cinema is adorned with a sophisticated palette of white, black, and grey stone. Carefully crafted to elevate the movie-going experience, it welcomes visitors for an exceptional cinematic journey.

The post PVR INOX UNVEILS THE FIRST SUPER-PREMIUM DIRECTOR’S CUT CINEMA AND ICE THEATRES® AT KOPA Mall KOREGAON PARK PUNE appeared first on NRI News.

KOLKATA: Mumbai City FC beat Mohun Bagan Super Giant 3-1 at the Salt Lake Stadium to emerge as the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 Cup Winners at the final in Kolkata tonight. The Islanders came from behind after Jason Cummings handed the Mariners a lead late in the first half. Second-half strikes by Jorge Pereyra Diaz, Bipin Singh, and Jakub Vojtus ensured that the Petr Kratky-coached side settled the scores against the home side in front of a capacity crowd to draw curtains on the landmark 10th season of the ISL.

In proceedings slightly identical to the final of ISL 2020-21, when both these teams had squared off in the summit clash, a similar hero came up, as Bipin Singh notched an 81st-minute strike to help his men avenge the loss that they succumbed to, in the title decider at this very venue. In the first-ever ISL grand finale held in Kolkata, Mumbai City FC returned the happier of the two teams winning their second ISL final, with both of them coming against the Mariners.

Both sides trod a cautious line in the opening half, focusing on holding their shape, playing to their strengths, and not giving away too much to work on for the opposition. However, Mohun Bagan Super Giant drew the first blood thanks to their fierce offensive duo of Dimitrios Petratos and Cummings.

Petratos hasn’t been afraid to test his luck from a distance often in this campaign. As the opening essay of the game was concluding, he unleashed a shot that caught Mumbai City FC goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa off-guard. The custodian fumbled the effort; with Cummings present right there like a fox in the box to bury the chance in the 44th minute and ensure that his team entered the break with a lead in hand.

The Islanders naturally decided to shake things up in the second half. They adopted newer courses of play, involving a long ball from Alberto Noguera to their Argentine striker Jorge Pereyra Diaz eight minutes into the second half. Diaz’s sharp offensive instincts were right there on display, calmly bringing the ball down, steering it near Vishal Kaith, and slotting the ball into the back of the net to equalize the scores.

For a brief passage of play, it appeared that the game might head into the extra time, but an unfortunate knock picked by Diaz in the 72nd minute opened the floodgates for the comeback by the visitors.

As the striker was taken off the field, Slovak striker Vojtus replaced him and was central to both the goals that Mumbai City FC scored after that. Bipin’s one came through a scrambled effort where Vikram Partap Singh squared up a pass for Lallianzuala Chhangte at the edge of the box. Chhangte’s attempt at goal took a nick off Vojtus’ foot, but amidst a crowded situation, Bipin hammered in the ball to get his side the lead in the game.

The Mariners desperately sought to level scores in the added time of the second half, but they ended up exposing large chunks of space in the backline. Vojtus capitalized on one of those loose balls, getting control over the ball on the right side of the box and demonstrating impeccable efficiency to net his team’s third goal of the night.

Key Performer of the Match

• Jorge Pereyra Diaz (Mumbai City FC)
• Diaz completed 15 out of his 19 attempted passes and was buzzing in and around the Mariners’ backline to search for a breakthrough. His goal oozed all class and was instrumental in laying the foundation of Mumbai City FC’s triumph in this game.

ISL 2023-24 Season Awards

• Golden Glove – Phurba Lachenpa (Mumbai City FC)
• Golden Boot – Dimitrios Diamantakos (Kerala Blasters FC)
• Emerging Player of the League – Vikram Partap Singh (Mumbai City FC)
• Player of the League – Dimitrios Petratos (Mohun Bagan Super Giant)

Brief Scores

• Mumbai City FC 3 (Jorge Pereyra Diaz 53’, Bipin Singh 81’, Jakub Vojtus 90+7’) – 1 Mohun Bagan Super Giant (Jason Cummings 44’)

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MADRID: LALIGA stresses that the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) does not sanction the European Super League and that in 2022 UEFA already included a modification to its regulations for the authorization of new competitions, which is adapted to what the CJEU is now ruling.

Although the promoters of the Super League claim that this judgment is in their favor, the reality is that the CJEU has been clear in stating that it “does not mean that a competition such as the Super League project must necessarily be approved. The Court, having been asked generally about the FIFA and UEFA rules, does not rule on that specific project in its judgment.”

LALIGA, the only league involved in the proceedings, welcomes this statement, which is in line with the formal position expressed by an unprecedented 23 EU and EEA national governments, who joined the football and wider sporting community in defending the football pyramid against secessionist models such as the so-called European Super League.

The essence of this ruling is also in line with the conclusions of the Advocate General of the CJEU in December 2022, which stated that “although the European Super League Company has the freedom to create its independent football competition outside the ecosystem of UEFA or FIFA, it cannot, in addition to creating that competition, continue to participate in football competitions organized by FIFA and UEFA without the prior authorization of those federations.“

Javier Tebas, President of LALIGA, said: “The ruling confirms what we have always said: anyone can organize competitions outside the UEFA and FIFA ecosystem, this cannot be prohibited, and no one has questioned this. The judicial question is the condition for these competitions to be under the UEFA and FIFA ecosystem, i.e. that there must be transparent, clear, and objective rules for the approval of new competitions. In 2022, UEFA already established a procedure to authorize new competitions that can be used by the European Super League or any other competition.”

Regardless of this ruling, the entire football ecosystem, including players, coaches, leagues, federations, and clubs, have already spoken loud and clear to assert that they do not want a model that perpetuates the participation of a privileged few, restricting the pinnacle of European football to an elite rather than an open sport for all.

The creation of a league designed to enrich the wealthiest clubs and concentrate power in the hands of a small number of privileged teams would also result in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs and drastically reduce tax revenues for public coffers across the continent.

According to the expert report prepared by KPMG, in Spain alone a project like the European Super League would cause a 55% loss in overall revenues for LALIGA and would jeopardise an industry that generates over 194,000 jobs and €8.39 billion in taxes, representing 1.44% of Spain’s GDP.

The European Parliament itself approved a report advocating “for a European model of sport that recognizes the need for a strong commitment to integrating the principles of solidarity, sustainability, inclusion, open competition, sporting merit, and equity. Consequently, it strongly opposes segregated competitions that undermine these principles and jeopardize the stability of the sports ecosystem in general.”

Therefore, despite the clear positions expressed by fans, clubs, players, federations, the European Parliament, EU governments, and now the CJEU, to reinforce and ensure the defense of the European football ecosystem, its jobs, contribution to the economy, etc., we urge the European Commission to activate the necessary mechanisms to introduce legislative measures that protect European football from future similar attacks.

It is essential to continue closely collaborating with national federations, leagues, clubs, fans, players, coaches, EU institutions, governments, and other stakeholders to nurture the development of football, promote growth, and preserve the fundamental values that have made European football the resounding success story it is today.

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LaLiga maintains that the creation of a league designed to enrich the biggest clubs and concentrate power among a small number of teams that already dominate European football would also lead to the loss of tens of thousands of jobs and drastically reduce tax revenues for the public purse across the continent. Likewise, the political authorities of the European Union, in this case, the Council of Europe have positioned themselves against the Super League and the European Parliament has defended an open, democratic model based on meritocracy, supported by 87% of the votes.

Javier Tebas, president of LaLiga, at the headquarters of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations (CEOE) in Madrid where the KPMG report was presented, stated: “The format they are talking about is very detrimental to the national leagues, so they know that, if they explain it, the opposition to it will remain strong. Let’s hope the Super League doesn’t go ahead because it will destroy the local leagues and their supporters. We cannot allow football to be in the hands of the clubs with the most money, we have to find a balance”.

KPMG’s 2022 expert report estimates an overall revenue loss for LaLiga of up to 55%. Additionally, the loss of value for non-Super League clubs will be up to 64%. Numbers that, as LaLiga determines, are similar to those of other leagues in their proportion.

The domestic leagues account for more than 70% of revenues in European football and are basic components in the economic and sporting ecosystem of European football. The 40 European professional leagues and associations generate total revenue of €25.725 billion with €11 billion in audiovisual rights.

Among LaLiga’s main conclusions, based on the data from the KPMG report, the following should be highlighted:

• The domestic leagues in each country are the engine of the industry, accounting for more than 70% of the value of football in Europe.
• The Super League would destroy Europe’s economic and sporting ecosystem, impacting the distribution of money between European clubs and federations.
• In the short term there will be an economic vacuum from the domestic leagues in favor of the Super League, a model that in the medium term will lead to reduced revenues for its own clubs.
• There is a successful model in Europe with a balanced ecosystem, which has allowed the creation of a large industry that the Super League would completely destroy. Reforms must be made, but the Super League is not the solution.

“We care about the rules of the court and what they say, but what matters most to us is the stability of our industry and if we have to fight for regulations that defend the stability of the European model we will do so. We do not want to be governed by those who have the most assets; we are more than the 20 richest clubs in football. We like models like the ones in Spain, LaLiga, where there is a distribution and we don’t do what the clubs with the most assets have“, Mr.Tebas emphasized at the presentation.

The Super League is proposing the same model as in 2019

In 2019, European football already rejected outright a Super League model with promotion and relegation between European competitions. This model is similar to the semi-closed model currently sought by the Super League. Access to European competitions must be maintained on sporting merit from domestic sporting competitions, otherwise it would mean, among other things, the disappearance of qualification on sporting merit and the disappearance of the chances of all clubs to qualify for European competition. Reforms are needed in Europe, but the Super League, where the big clubs want to decide everything, is not the solution.

The Council of Europe has taken a position against the Super League and the European Parliament has defended an open, democratic, and merit-based model, backed by 87% of the votes.

The Super League would lead to the destruction of LaLiga’s competitive balance and of the football industry

According to an analysis by LaLiga, the Super League would increase revenues by €400m for both Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, who would also maintain their commercial capacity. This also means a 55% loss of revenue for the rest of the LaLiga clubs, by creating a less attractive domestic league and decreasing interest for Spanish fans.

In short, the big clubs will benefit to the detriment of the medium and small clubs. This will increase the gap and the only beneficiaries will be the players of the top clubs, who represent only 5% of the players in LaLiga.

The Super League would also lead to the destruction of the industry: GDP, employment, and taxes. The overall economic impact on broadcasting rights would reduce the relevance of domestic competitions by diluting the talent of top-level teams in local leagues, increasing match congestion, with the possible moving of domestic matches to midweek.

Let’s protect our football.

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